ACE striker Wayne Rooney has enrolled his 16-month-old son in soccer school in the bid to mould him into the next big football star. Has Rooney gone Looney? We find out
Ace striker Wayne Rooney has enrolled his 16-month-old son in soccer school in the bid to mould him into the next big football star. Has Rooney gone Looney? We find out
Should you teach your child how to swim, before he learns how to walk? Or how to kick a ball, before he even knows what a goal is? Manchester United superstar striker Wayne Rooney certainly seems to think so, as he has enrolled his 16-month-old son, Kai, in SocaTots, a soccer school to ensure his football skills are honed in from an early age.
Manchester United's English forward Wayne Rooney holds his son, Kai,
after the English Premier League football match between Man U and
Stoke City at Old Trafford in Manchester, last year. Pic/ AFP
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Do city parents approve of taking a career goal to such levels? "I recently read somewhere that in Australia, kids as young as six months are enrolled in swimming classes," says to-be mom Ruchi Mehta (30).
"They might not be able to walk, but by the time they learn to walk, they are already good swimmers," she adds, recalling a video she saw and mentioning that a child's development can start as early as zero years.
"So there is no harm in trying, but parents should definitely not enroll their kids in a class just because other parents are doing the same," says Ruchi. Kavisa Singh, mummy of almost-one-year-old Hiya, agrees. "Teaching aggression or playing to win at this age is just wrong. A fun soccer class is welcome, but one that takes into consideration long-term goals is absurd at this age."
Not ready
Shital Ravi from Disha Counselling Centre, a centre that also runs the Gifted Program for children with superior intelligence is against Rooney's move. "Children's motor skills are underdeveloped (at this age) and the child can develop pains and aches that can have a negative impact. Instead, in this case, Rooney should expose his son to football games and CDs to inspire interest."
SS Vasthi, martial arts trainer with Mira Road-based Ashmita Club says, "Professional gymnast and karate professionals have to start training early if they want to stand out. We generally enroll kids when they complete three years of age for karate, as they are more flexible and their bones are tender, so they can be easily moulded at that age. It's tougher to reach a certain level of excellence in professional sports when you start training at a later age."
In print
In Molding Young Athletes, youth coach and mentor, Darrell Erickson lists guidelines for parents and coaches to develop self-confidence, perseverance and survival skills for children.
Published by Purington Press
Available on https://www.amazon.com/
For Rs 240, shipping charges apply
Expert speak
When you decide to bring a child into the world, it is your responsibility as a parent to ensure they grow into well-adjusted adults. I find Rooney's decision ridiculous. Even if the aim is to develop the child's motor skills and coordination, a child that young requires only love, nurture and play to do so. In this case, it seems like the father is trying to live vicariously through the child or is selfishly hoping for the kid to turn out to be just like him, which is a recipe for disaster. Even if the child has the talent and innate genius, it is the parent's responsibility to nurture it with the willing participation of the child, so that the potential can be unfolded in a healthy manner. The way Rooney is going about it is insensitive.
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